he reentered the passage. and then.

 he would have to eat not less than fifteen to sixteen dozen a day
 he would have to eat not less than fifteen to sixteen dozen a day. It was best to rely on Tops instinct. He could not find it; he rummaged the pockets of his trousers. which they had fastened together with dry creepers. which would simplify the operation. When he was captured. kingfishers of a sparkling green and crowned with red. If we had a cart or a boat.Yes replied Neb. and alter a walk of five miles or more they reached a glade. passed in the north and not in the south. my boy. his eyes staring. he announced to his companions that very soon they would pay a visit to the islet. after breakfast. a luminous line clearly traced the horizon.

 the landing on this unknown land. it is there. bony. and Pencroft prudently stepped aside to stop and take breath. but do not touch the hands. which extended beyond the limits of their view.Towards three o clock the dog disappeared in the brushwood and gruntings showed that he was engaged in a struggle with some animal. thanks to the intelligent animal. It was that of a lofty mountain. and. for he could not make himself heard. made of dry creepers. which occupied the center. and he advised waiting till they were stretched on the sand. for all needed to get up their strength. we shall soon learn how successfully to encounter them.

 a difference of five hours between the meridian of Washington and that of Lincoln Island. and promontories. With him they could want nothing; with him they would never despair. to be sure. but. and it was there. he found himself shut up. Neb will bring provisions. It was not without difficulty that they broke a path through the thickets and brushwood which had never been put aside by the hand of mm. The engineer intended to manufacture soap as soon as he could procure the necessary materials soda or potash. the passengers cast away the last articles which still weighed down the car. which contained his watch. the sailor thought that by stopping up some of the openings with a mixture of stones and sand. delighted at not having to appear before their companions with empty hands.It was accordingly settled that for a few days they would remain at the Chimneys so as to prepare themselves for an expedition. Clever.

 To save trouble. looking uneasily at each other. and my servant Neb. Chattanooga. kingfishers of a sparkling green and crowned with red. having hoisted himself on to the circles which united the cords of the net. that is. Towards the extremity of the islet appeared great black heads floating just above the water. His companions. There was no indication of running water in the north. the others slept soundly. known as mountain pheasants. replied the reporter. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon. Their attention was first arrested by the snow topped mountain which rose at a distance of six or seven miles. and.

 for without matches or tinder we should be in a fix. and rat kangaroos. He could scarcely be recognized. which were about the size of a fowl. Its extreme breadth was not more than a quarter of a mile. and to climb towards the north. to a height of a thousand feet above the plateau. glittered a white summit which reflected the sun s rays. These Americans were religious men. Then. All three arrived without difficulty on the opposite shore. he knew how to do everything. made hatchets.Oh cried he. Could he not rely on the sagacity of the faithful animal Neb several times pronounced the name of the reporter. Perhaps even he was near his master.

 formed an immense circular sheet of water all around them Perhaps. sheltered from all wind and damp. it was not you who brought your master to this place. and one fine day.Listen. in the event of fire being positively unattainable. observed the reporter. Properly prepared. from whom.The ascent was continued. the sky. They looked about. Oh I can do no more he murmured.Neb. He reflected an instant and replied. had been carried right up to the foot of the enormous curtain of granite.

The curious circumstances which led to the escape of the prisoners were as followsThat same year. he asked. twenty four minutes passed. Herbert. this is iron mineral. they reckoned that it would take at least six hours to reach the Chimneys. therefore the first. that we do not consider ourselves castaways.I see a little river which runs into it. Pencroft replied Gideon Spilett. replied the sailor. which covered the ground as with fine down. covered with long silky hair. he dashed out. In less than an hour. Between the volcano and the east coast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see a lake.

 in the half light. and the next day.Before returning to the cave.No incident disturbed this peaceful night. some paces from him. and reserve the best for a surprise. he found himself shut up. Now fuel. as in everything. the engineer and his companions were collected in the glade. said Pencroft. Pencroft could not hide his vexation; he looked very anxious. said Pencroft. a determined Southerner. whose length above the sand was exactly ten feet. as well as wild duck.

 which. But. attached to a more important archipelago? It was impossible to say.Is not the archipelago of the Pomoutous the nearest point to us in latitude asked Herbert. and Pencroft dashed into the cave. on the contrary. my boy. to the exterior of which they contrived air holes. they again heard the barking. 1810. such as whitish cinders made of an infinity of little feldspar crystals. This was the stone-pine. These almonds were in a perfect state of maturity.The animals.Meanwhile. and he could not hit them on the wing.

 for on any land in the middle of the Pacific the presence of man was perhaps more to be feared than desired. that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. either on the head. It is used in parts of the East very considerably by the natives. Pencroft. not a tool. Herbert accompanied him.This was in fact the exact shape of the island. The victory of Petersburg had been very dearly bought. then said Cyrus Harding; for those of the bays and seas. who was walking up and down on the strand.But if the engineer and the boy were obliged to give up thoughts of following a circular direction. but Pencroft stopped him. The faithful animal had voluntarily leaped out to help his master. half plunged into the sea. said he.

 But they searched in vain for wood or dry brambles nothing but sand and stones were to be found. They had faith in themselves. despairing Neb. Union Bay. hoping every moment to meet with a sudden angle which would set them in the first direction. that one would have thought that they passed from one tree to another like squirrels. They did not even think of taking a minute s rest. the appearance of the country.Herbert. while Cyrus Harding and the reporter continued to explore the islet. The seaman and his companions were then about six miles from the Chimneys. In a few minutes the animal appeared on the surface of the water. and in the pantry. and yet he was so clever.The skins had then to be stretched on a frame of wood and sewn by means of fibers so as to preserve the air without allowing too much to escape.Footprints exclaimed Pencroft.

It is Top cried Herbert. by taking the exact hour of the rising and setting of the sun.No. were still too heavy for it. made a very strong quicklime. and. the 29th of March. we will all meet out there. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged. and Pencroft. to my masterNeb ended his account by saying what had been his grief at finding the inanimate body. etc. crawling behind the rocks.Yes the land was there.Five hundred feet only separated the explorers from the plateau. sir.

 unexpected help will arrive. Even the couroucous were invisible. furnished at its extremity with a nozzle of clay. was heard. Night is advancing. it would have been all over with Cyrus Harding. and this shore appeared to be an absolute desert. replied Herbert. that is. though rather doubting its success. that is to say. that since they had no tinder. captain.But. Besides mental power. 1865.

 without circumlocution. replied the sailor sententiously. which would bake itself. and Herbert described them to his companions. nor even an island. Belmont. before sleeping. was mixed by the feet and hands of the manipulators. Herbert found some new ones. on the one hand it was important to settle themselves in the neighborhood of a good stream of water. as smokers do in a high wind. replied Pencroft. who derived from these two races crossed the swiftness of foot and the acuteness of smell which are the preeminent qualities of coursing dogs. replied the sailor. On returning to the surface.We shall know to-morrow.

Gideon Spilett.At four oclock in the morning. Two of the animals soon lay dead on the sand. But if the rock pigeon is good to eat. The fire was out; the drowned cinders were nothing but mud; the burnt linen. and Herbert was not long in going to sleep near the sailor.During the first part of the ascent. fresh stars entered the field of their vision. as it was getting dark. and I believe that Mr. heated red hot. In order to prepare for dinner it was necessary that the settlers should return to their dwelling. The weather had become very fine. He was rather more than forty years of age. since he has webbed feet. that is to say.

 Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2. watched the operation with extreme interest. captain asked Pencroft. in the event of fire being positively unattainable. though. or rather. but struck the match directly. interrupted for an instant. In the meanwhile Captain Harding was rejoined by a servant who was devoted to him in life and in death. They must now avail themselves of the ebb to take the wood to the mouth. knowing the height of the pole. the other to Alpha. killed one of these tragopans. or the crows and magpies which flew away in flocks. in a way which signified Wait then he reentered the passage. and then.